“The big test in football is how a captain leads under conditions of adversity.”
Of course these are not my words, but the words spoken by the great Jack Gibson.
I believe that in a football team you have two captains – the captain for the players on the field, and the one who is in command of the ship during the week, the coach.
There is no doubt that the Eels are facing adversity. I hadn’t lost faith in the capacity of our captains and our coach to get the Eels moving in the right direction, but those tough times have just been made a little tougher.
The loss of Clint Gutherson to a knee injury requiring immediate surgery, has come at a time when the Eels needed him the most.
Sean Russell celebrates with Gutho
Gutho’s passion and desire are second to none, and so the pressure will be mounting on Paulo and BA to get the team moving forward again.
Arthur himself has publicly drawn a line in the sand.
He called out the players as being part time after the humiliating loss to the Dolphins. He declared that Sivo’s shot on Rueben Garrick was both stupid and costly.
The Eels coach is in a ridiculously tough spot. He has a few people in the media that support him, but the narrative of him being in the firing line was always going to have a receptive audience from supporters increasingly, and justifiably, frustrated by nearly four decades without a title.
It was not at all surprising to see the media’s reaction to BA’s honest post match press conference assessment of these last two games.
Consider this, the same media that lauds coaches like Stuart, Bellamy, Robinson and co for their brutal honesty in making their players accountable for sub par performances, decided that BA had thrown the team under the bus.
Looking back, Stuart certainly wasn’t slammed about his comments regarding the Raiders loss to the Sharks earlier this season. After squandering an 18-0 lead and fading/collapsing in the second half, Stuart said this in his post match press conference:
“We were embarrassing, and it was awful. Nobody was solid tonight. There wasn’t a player on our team that was solid. Don’t be giving praise to people who don’t deserve it.”
I understand the divided opinion regarding changes that should be made at Parra, but the media must have some degree of credibility when putting up arguments as to why changes should be made.
When these media figures are ex Parra players, it’s even worse. All former players have first hand experience of the unrelenting media pressure on the Eels. For any of them to now get on board that media click bait wagon is very poor.
From the stands, my perspective was that the team genuinely tried against Manly. I cannot fault most of the collective effort, but I can fault some basics from individuals.
The finger must be pointed at lazy individual defensive efforts, and unfortunately some unforgivable on-field decision making that’s happening way too often. Let’s also add in the lack of support play, especially to Dylan Brown.
After the loss to the Tigers I wrote about my frustration at our players not supporting Dylan.
It’s mind boggling that a team missing their chief playmaker would fail to support the one player most likely to generate line breaks.
The Eels lead the NRL for offloads. It’s a key component of their attack, but this season it’s ineffective. This is because the ball is being handed off to players who are often static.
In contrast, running off a player like Brown who has pushed through the line and is looking to find someone to pass to, is going to create try scoring opportunities.
Dylan Brown
Support play is a basic of football. It’s a non-negotiable. Any creativity must be backed up, and we definitely need to see creativity around the ruck against teams such as Manly and the Broncos.
This is where Brad Arthur’s job as a “ship’s captain” becomes its most difficult.
Whilst I have faith in his capacity to navigate and lead in these troubled waters, I also have to acknowledge the lack of genuine alternatives should BA wish to drop players.
The state of the roster is indefensible, and the club must address this and look at why it was allowed to happen. That ship that Arthur is meant to be steering has not received the required maintenance and now he has to remove non functioning parts and replace them with untested components.
It’s an unenviable position for the coach to be in, because it is also unacceptable to continue picking players who make crucial errors that impact the teams ability to compete and ultimately do the job of winning footy games.
At some point enough has to be enough. Players were dropped for the Manly game. If those that did not measure up at Brookvale just happen to be on BA’s list as lucky to not also be dropped, then they too must be held accountable. Because, though there are those significant issues with the roster, individuals cost the Eels a win against the odds.
Arthur & Gutho front the media in Darwin
Looking ahead, this Brisbane pack is a quality unit, and the Eels must make them work hard in defence to nullify their capacity to get a roll on. The Eels cannot allow them to lay a platform for a backline that is blessed with pace. The job will be tough without Gutherson, but it will be an impossibility if the team contains players who continue to underperform.
As for this week, I think we all need the bye. I normally hate these bye weeks, but this feels like we need the week off to rest up and breath a little, and I’m talking about supporters as much as the club and the players.
I’m hoping for some respite from the barrage of media scoops and social media “whispers from sources” coming our way, though I shan’t be holding my breath.
Shelley
Does anyone believe that we can win the 2024 NRL competition? An issue is that the core of our pack probably peaked as individuals two or three drasons ago. Those players, honourable servants of yhe club ,will be a year older next year. Realisticslly, our next possible premiership window probably is 2026. We should be ysing our current time of difficulty to do a review of playing strength through the grades to ask of individuals – does he have the potential to give a positive account in the grand ginal in teo and a half years time. We should be recruiting to covrr any perceived weaknesses in first or replacement stocks. Ad-hocking with occasional addlitions of other clubss’ lower grade rejects won’t get us a title.
We lack general football knowledge in a lot of the players. Does Brown need to tell them prior he is running for them to wake up and be ready in support.
Unfortunately we now look too old in the pack or reserve grade in the backs to make any dent in the coming years. Our edge back rowers need to be moved on, unfortunately 2 out of the 3 props need to be moved on. We require speed out back, wingers and depth in centre/fullback. Almost forgot a need in the hooker position.
And an ex factor? We just lack touch too much to be a serious contender in the coming years
Funny that you point out the hypocrisy of the media, Shelley, at the same time there’s a (hopefully) small section of Eels “fans” who are very vocal on social media and elsewhere that are even more hypocritical. On the one hand they are complaining about O’Neil, the Board, R&R, pathways etc etc (yes, pretty much everything) yet at the same time the hatred, and yes it’s hatred, of BA has them claiming he just has to go immediately and it should have happened years ago, and yes, there’s some very short memories of where the Eels were before he arrived let alone what he went through with the salary cap disaster!! So back up a minute, you’re saying in one breath that BA hasn’t been given anywhere near the resources needed for a successful tilt at a title, but in the next breath he’s the problem and another coach will overcome the off field issues?? Likewise, in one breath O’Neil has to go as he’s useless, but again in the next breath it’s solely BA’s team that he built – despite evidence to the contrary that he hasn’t seen eye to eye with O’Neil and got who he has targeted. Hypocrisy reigns supreme!!!
They are calling for Bennett, yet there’s next to zero chance Bennett would A) come to a club with the off field issues of the Eels, and/or B) be successful when hamstrung in the same manner BA has been. The review a few years ago identified BA wasn’t being given the resources needed and it appears that is still the case. Would he be a premiership winning coach with those resources? Maybe, maybe not – how long’s a piece of string? But it’s fair to say that when you look at someone like Robinson, who undoubtedly gets whatever he wants, his record the last few years makes BA look a superior coach.
It’s interesting times at the Eels for sure. A new coach may be on the horizon, but those thinking that’s the cure all are going to be sadly mistaken I think.
Well said. I fear you may be right and we will go backwards, something like the Wests Tigers.
Stubbyholder, what is most annoying with some of the “haters” is the way they try to re-write history. Even recent stuff. We seen it all – “Parra was lucky to make the 2022 grand final”. Yeah, forget that they finished top four, beat Penrith in both of the regular rounds, smashed the Raiders, then came from behind to defeat the Cowboys in Townsville. I even had some bloke on Twitter claim that BA had never been able to coach the Eels to three/four consecutive wins or more, a feat he has achieved in every season from 2019 to 2023. Someone even started the Jake hate on Twitter again yesterday and declaring BA’s selection of him was why Parra lost the GF. I can’t begin to describe the way that the mindless hatred has made me sick to the core. Jake was driven out of the Eels and for mine it was a dark time for particular fans.
Brad has been at the Eels for a long time. I understand that there will be those who think it’s time for a change. I don’t, because there is a bigger picture and it’s evident when looking at the roster and the form of individuals. If anyone thinks you’d get better results with a different coach, it’s delusional. And were the Eels to appoint a different coach then suddenly open the purse strings for recruitment, you’d have to wonder why.
Sixties, the one that gets me is “he’s had 11 years and it’s his squad”. Really, 11 years – no off field issues, lack of funding, salary cap disaster costing players etc. His squad – despite reports of friction with O’Neil and not getting who he wants (I’m sure every coach would have been ecstatic with the 2024 signings of the Eels and BA wouldn’t have wanted anyone different!!). Reality is very different to that but keeps getting completely ignored. Like I said, even with all the resources of a Robinson, maybe he doesn’t get the job done, but there’s no doubt he can coach. However, to judge him without considering external factors is ignorance personified and those saying he’d never get another NRL gig are clueless – mindless haters as you’ve pointed out.
11 years is for me the only argument for change you need.
Would another coach do better? Who knows
Can BA do better probably not.
11 Years we are not close to a premiership the Panthers have won 3 premierships 2 of those were close and could of gone either way one was over at Half time that embrassing effort should of spurned something in the squad but for mine it’s damaged the playing group and BA.
The fact is 11 years thank you Brad but it’s time to try something new
Offside, no doubt that unless you’re in the Bellamy class, then every coach has a certain lifespan at a club and Arthur is getting close to his barring a Premiership. I guess the issue is, can any coach overcome the seemingly impossible obstacles the Eels Board seem to have in place off the field? Could Bennett – maybe, but would he even consider coaching the Eels if he did his due diligence? Very, very highly unlikely. The Board isn’t going to appoint a coach that will have the nous and clout to blow them up!!! You’ve seen BA can get the squad to a GF and regularly overcome the Panthers in particular, but there’s also the capitulations that should not happen so no consistency.
Would another coach do better who knows but I don’t believe BA can do any better.
If my memory serves me correctly, I understand that both players and coaches, likewise with those who sit in the rooms at the Tage mahal that are open and privy to the execs and bosses.
Thing is with that aspect is how much help does those bosses provide for the coach, team and other assistants come match time. I often watch those in charge sit out of the training teams or at the side of the team that is to play come the match, but what support or help do they provide for the coaching staff and players???
Its been many a long year since I could attend matches at Cumberland, or the newer stadium of the eels, I have witnessed and taken on board the losses & wins over the years, in that listing is the marvel of players that take on opposing teams that are fairly often in losses owing to the more said quality of the opposition, yet the eels teams over the years all tended to lift and want to be not just part of a side but more is the desire to achieve matches that are winners be that of opponents or our own teams. They may not win at all games and the like but, I have seen many Eels teams that have struggled to match the opponents, yet they often come out with wins that achieve more than the credits given out.
My Late dad worked his but off to get the eels teams into the NRL (old teams) many oldies that tried hard but failed and the matches had some wins, but a fair number of losses as well. They were hard calls, yet the players kept going. How many of them worked hard for wins without a lot of success, but they did the teams, coaches and players but, they generally never gave up.
Where would they be today, especially as long hardened teams that worked and gelled together, how many gave up in losses? but how many tried their hardest on and off the fields. I watched and sat with many of the players after training sessions at the local pub that adorned the main street before the pub was taken down. Those players of varied ages did their bests for the eels, yet how much real support is shown these days?
Is money the main desire to have full wallets come match days, or fill their own abilities with other players who were prepared to hold out on loss days also on winning days.
I see what you are saying in defence of BA but on the other hand, I think a coach, an influential coach, who has been at a club for an extended time should be able to influence recruitment and pathways etc
If they cannot do this then they are not the person for the job. They need to be able to influence these decisions plain and simple. This is why I think Wayne Bennett would be perfect for the eels at this point of time.
You look at the team and the coach and you can’t honestly see this team winning anything in the next few other than a wooden spoon
You support BA that’s fine he has done a good job but if he couldn’t do it with the best team we’ve had he ain’t going to get us out of this whole we are in now.
Foutnely for Brad he had the boards support we have a board and a football club that isn’t focused on on field success it’s about the bottom dollar and the books are balanced so They won’t bow to media pressure or the fans or common sense BA will stay we will be a average club that occasionally gets on a run.
We are the least successful club in history most wooden spoons winning is not who we are it’s not what this club is about so just accept it and fans accept we chose the wrong team and now we’re stuck with it.
If the chips had fallen our way we would have won in 2021. We were slughtly past our best in 2022. It was hard work to get to those standards and Ar t hur led that process. As an outsider it seemed to ne that we gave in to panic a bit when the inclusion of The Dolphins sent the player market haywire. With considered, realistic planning there’s no reason we can’t challenge again, maybe by 2026. Leadership does have to take action – the situation we seek won’t simply deliver itself. We need to carry out a planbed reconstruction of the pack, using tge best of what’s currently in the club, and add a little to the wide strike – Lomax is a great start.
Noel, as you note, there is work to be done and it’s critical that recruitment doesn’t rest on it’s laurels with Lomax. There are issues with our perceived strength, the forwards, and we have to address the pace in the outside backs.
If there is any blame to be aimed within the club for results, it really needs to be shared between the coach and the recruitment team. Losing those players in 2022 and not replacing them with talent even close to what we lost was terrible.
Would say that it has been far too long since any above average players were signed. If the cap is out of balance, then that is squarely on the CEO and HOF that’s their responsibility.
It’s difficult to bring through talented juniors when asked to play with less than average KOE cup players. Tactically we are stale and obvious, that is somewhat predicated by the roster assembled . There should be far more pressure and comments on recruitment as it’s been an Achilles heel for far too long. It wouldn’t be tolerated at other clubs, is it accountant directed or those responsible just not good enough.
Very good points, B&B. I’d love to know how the other clubs approach recruitment with regard to HoF and Coach – isn’t there talk there’s supposedly 5 people at the Eels involved with R&R? That seems ludicrous to me, can you imagine Bennett being 1/5th of a voice on recruitment? Just one more reason he’d never be at the Eels if he did his due diligence unless he demand that change and in doing so he puts the Board on notice – are they really going to do that? The coach gives a list of 3 targets for positions and it should be up to the HoF to deliver at least 2 of them. I can’t for the life of me see that BA asked for the 2 recruits he was delivered for 2024 – can anyone seriously suggest that was the case? Yet here people are on social media claiming this is “his squad” and he’s solely responsible – just totally clueless IMHO.